Cable Package

ABSTRACT

A cable package is provided. The package includes a package container for accommodating a cable wherein the package container is sectionally realized in a dimensionally stable fashion; and holding means for holding a cable end and/or a connector connected to the cable end in a cable processing position, wherein the holding means are provided on a wall of the package container.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of prior co-pending InternationalApplication No. PCT/IB2009/053451 filed Aug. 6, 2009, designating theUnited States, which claims the benefit of European Patent ConventionApplication No. EP 0814168.2, filed on Aug. 8, 2008, the substance ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a cable package with a packagecontainer that serves for accommodating a cable to be packaged and is atleast sectionally realized in a dimensionally stable fashion. Thepresent disclosure also relates to a method for installing a cable endon a connector such as a plug, a power supply unit and the like with theaid of such a cable package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The automated processing of cables is still difficult and until now onlyrealized to a limited degree with justifiable costs. It is particularlydifficult to take hold of and exactly position flexible cables such as,for example, electric power cables with the grippers of a manipulatingdevice, especially if the corresponding cable is delivered in the formof bulk material and more or less entangled.

In the manufacture of electric appliances, charging components or thelike that are equipped with a permanently attached power cable or ofplug-in power supply units that feature a permanently attached cable forbeing connected to an end device, a large portion of the power cableinstallation needs to be carried out manually. This applies, inparticular, to the delivery of the power cable to a desired automatedinstallation on the device. Since a power cable is a flexible part, aneconomical automated delivery could not be realized in the desiredfashion until now if the cable is supplied in the form of bulk material.In this state, the cable ends or power plugs and cable ends are notdefined and can only be taken hold of with a very high technicalexpenditure. This is the reason why the power cable delivery was usuallycarried out manually until now.

According to one known proposal for automating the cable installation, apower cable is manufactured immediately before the installation. In thiscase, the cable is delivered to the power cable manufacture from a rolland cut to the required length, wherein the power plug is subsequentlyattached and the cable is then connected to the device. Due to thisspecial manufacturing sequence, both cable ends are always in a definedposition. However, this method is not suitable for instances, in which acorresponding cable in the form of a prefabricated accessory part isadditionally processed, for example, in the small electric applianceindustry that does not have a separate cable manufacture at itsdisposal.

It is desirable to develop an improved cable package and an improvedmethod for to installing a cable end of the initially cited type, ofeliminating the disadvantages of the state of the art and ofadditionally developing the latter in an advantageous fashion.Accordingly, there is a need for the automated handling of the cable tobe processed such that the cable end can be exactly positioned andinstalled in a largely automated fashion on a connector such as a plug,a power supply unit, a charging device and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment, a cable package is provided. The packageincludes a package container for accommodating a cable wherein thepackage container is sectionally realized in a dimensionally stablefashion; and holding means for holding a cable end and/or a connectorconnected to the cable end in a cable processing position, wherein theholding means are provided on a wall of the package container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims which particularly pointout and distinctly claim the subject matter that is regarded as theinvention, it is believed the various embodiments will be betterunderstood from the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective representation of a cable packageaccording to one embodiment in the form of a folding box, wherein acable end to be processed projects from the face of said packagecontainer;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective representation of a cable packageaccording to another embodiment in the form of a moulded EPS part,wherein a cable end to be processed projects from the face of saidpackage container;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective representation of a cable packageaccording to another embodiment in the form of a deep-drawn part,wherein a cable end to be processed projects from the face of saidpackage container;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective representation of a cable packageaccording to another embodiment in the form of an injection-mouldedpart, wherein a cable end to be processed projects from the face of saidpackage container;

FIG. 5 is a sectional perspective representation of the face of apackage container according to one embodiment, in which the containerwall with the cable end protruding therefrom is set back relative to theadjacent container walls such that the cable end is recessed in a cablereceptacle recess, but still accessible from outside;

FIG. 6 is a sectional perspective representation of the face of thepackage container according to FIG. 5, wherein a connector that isrealized in the form of a plug and installed on the cable end ispositioned in the receptacle recess instead of the cable end;

FIG. 7 is a sectional perspective representation of the face of thepackage container according to FIG. 5, wherein a connector that isrealized in the form of a charging device for an electric toothbrush andinstalled on the cable end is positioned in the receptacle recessinstead of the cable end;

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective representation of the cable receptaclerecess of the package container according to FIG. 7, wherein said cablereceptacle recess is partially closed by a package band;

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective representation of the receptaclerecess of the package container according to FIGS. 7 and 8, whereinsnap-in means for snapping in the accommodated connector are provided onone of the adjoining walls;

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective representation of the cable packageaccording to FIG. 1 during the installation of the connector on thecable end, wherein the package container is taken hold of by thegripping instrument of a manipulating device and the cable end isprocessed by an installation head; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a cable package duringdifferent installation steps according to another embodiment, in whichthe package container comprises an outer body and an inner body that isdisplaceably accommodated therein, wherein the cable is accommodated inthis inner body and the cable end to be processed leads out of the innerbody on the face thereof.

The figures herein are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present disclosure, a cable package is included forpositioning the cable end to be processed and to suitably design thepackage for this purpose such that it is not only possible to easilytake hold of and precisely position the package, but also to place theto cable into a defined position relative to the package container thatis at least sectionally realized in a dimensionally stable fashion forthis purpose. As described herein, the cable package is characterized inthat holding means for holding a cable end and/or a connector connectedto the cable end in a cable processing position are provided on a wallof the package container that is at least sectionally realized in adimensionally stable fashion. This makes it possible to move the cableend or a connector installed thereon into a defined position, forexample, relative to an installation head or probe by correspondinglypositioning the cable package that can be taken hold of in a muchsimpler and more precise fashion than a cable of undefined flexibility.According to this embodiment, the cable end can be connected to saidconnector, preparations of the cable required for producing thisconnection can be carried out or the finished connection between thecable and the connector can be checked.

The cable fixed on the package container may be prepared, in particular,for being contacted with the terminals of a connector and subsequentlyinstalled on the connector. The preparations carried out prior to theactual installation of the connector may comprise, for example, splicingof the stranded conductors of an electric cable, stripping theinsulation, bending the individual stranded conductors into therespective installation position, crimping the cable, i.e., attaching acrimp-type connector, soldering the cable conductors, contact-bondingthe line connections and/or casting the cable end in an insulation.

Depending on the type of connector to be installed, other preparatorysteps can be carried out while the cable is advantageously arranged inthe package container and held on a wall or in the vicinity of a wallwith its cable end such that the cable end can be positioned bypositioning the package container. The package container with the cableends held thereon is not only advantageous for the actual installationof a connector, but also for subsequent testing steps. For example, afunctional test that is usually carried out as part of the finalinstallation can be simplified with the package container. The connectorthat is installed on the cable end and consists, for example, of a plug,can be connected to an electric test circuit in order to check theelectric conductivity while the cable is arranged in the packagecontainer and the cable end or the connector installed thereon is heldin an exactly defined position on the package container by the holdingmeans.

Functional elements arranged in other sections of the cable may bealternatively or additionally checked. For example, switches and/ormeasuring points on a cable section accommodated in the packagecontainer can be delivered to a test station. For this purpose, to thepackage container may comprise other holding means that fix the cableand/or the functional component installed thereon such as, for example,the aforementioned switch in a defined position relative to the packagecontainer.

Since the flexible cable is arranged in a cable package of theabove-described type, it can be cost-efficiently handled automaticallyin a production line with simple manipulating means such as, forexample, the gripping instrument of a manipulator. Furthermore, theinstalled and finished cable is advantageously arranged in a packagethat can also be automatically handled in a secondary packaging line.Small appliances such as, for example, power supply units, switches,line filters and the like can also be packaged with two outgoing cablesor plugs, on which switching processes, measurements and the like can beautomatically carried out through corresponding recesses in the packagecontainer. The positions of switches and measuring points are defined bythe package container in this constellation. In contrast to loosecables, the package also makes it possible to automatically identify thecable and/or a device installed thereon based on relevant informationsuch as, for example, batch numbers, test results or material numbers.

In another embodiment, the cable package is characterized in that thewall, on which the aforementioned holding means are provided, and/oranother wall of the package container features a cable through-openingsuch that the cable can extend through the wall and, in particular, froman inner side of the package container to an outer side. In this case,the holding means are advantageously realized in such a way that thecable end and/or the connector connected thereto is positioned on anouter side of the package container. This makes it possible to alsocarry out the cable installation, testing and/or processing while thepackage container is closed and to simply gain access to the cableand/or the connector installed thereon from an outer side. It would alsobe possible, in principle, to hold the cable end in a predefinedposition on an inner side of the package container with theaforementioned holding means and to carry out the above-describedinstallation, testing and processing steps in the interior of thepackage container. However, the arrangement of the processing positionon an outer side of the package container such that the cable extendsthrough the wall makes it easier to gain access with correspondinginstallation tools. Additionally, the package does not have to be openedin order to process the cable, i.e., the processing can be carried outwhile the package remains closed such that the attachment of the packagecan be separated from the additional processing and the cable can betransported between these steps in a particularly to simple fashion.

The aforementioned cable through-opening may, in principle, be realizedin different ways, for example, in the form of a bore. According toanother embodiment, however, the cable through-opening advantageouslyforms a clamping groove that is open toward one side of the respectivewall and into which the cable to be positioned can be simply insertedtransverse to its longitudinal direction. This eliminates threading ofthe cable that may be quite cumbersome depending on the size of thethrough-opening and also significantly simplifies the attachment of thepackage.

The holding means may be arranged, in principle, at a distance from theaforementioned through-openings, but are preferably provided at least inthe vicinity of said through-opening. In one particularly advantageousadditional development of the invention, the holding means areintegrated into the aforementioned through-opening or are formed by thisthrough-opening, respectively.

The holding means may be designed in different ways. In order to ensurethat the cable is held in a stable fashion and the package can be easilyattached, it would be possible to provide form-fitting holding means, inone example, in the form of elastic clips and/or snap-in means, intowhich the cable and/or the connector installed thereon can berespectively clipped or snapped. In another embodiment, the holdingmeans are realized in a clamping fashion and feature correspondingclamping means, in one example, in the form of a clamping groove forclamping the cable in the respective cable processing position. In anadditional development of the invention, said clamping groove may formpart of the aforementioned cable through-opening that, in turn, at leastsectionally forms a laterally tapered clamping slot, into which thecable to be positioned merely needs to be inserted transverse to itslongitudinal direction in order to be clamped and held in position. Atits base, the clear width of said clamping groove is, in one example,adapted to the cable diameter in such a way that a cable sheath is heldin position with a press fit and cannot slip or pull out, namely whilesimultaneously preventing damages thereto.

Depending on the processing steps to be carried out on the cable, thecable end or the connector installed thereon may be held in differentalignments relative to the package container. In one embodiment, thecable end is positioned such that it protrudes from the wall,particularly held such that it projects from the wall of the packagecontainer substantially perpendicularly. In this case, the processingposition may be chosen such that the cable end or to the connectorinstalled thereon is exposed on all sides and spaced apart from othercontainer walls in order to freely access the cable end from all sides.

According to one embodiment, the cable end can be pulled out of thepackage container by a certain distance prior to or during theinstallation of the connector or the preparation of the cable for thisinstallation in order to simplify the processing of the cable end. Thismay be realized, for example, by pulling out the cable end that slidesthrough the holding means by a certain distance while the packagecontainer is held by the holding device. Alternatively or additionally,the package container may feature two parts that can be moved relativeto one another, such that they are displaceably guided on one another,wherein the cable end can be pulled out by the aforementioned distanceby displacing the two parts relative to one another and, after theinstallation of the connector, reinserted together with the installedconnector by displacing the container parts back into their originalposition.

In one embodiment, simple storage and simple transport of thepre-configured cables may be achieved by providing that the packagecontainer is stackable. To this end, the package container may featureat least one plane stacking surface that is positioned and arranged suchthat it can be securely placed on another identically designed packagecontainer. The package container has, in particular, an essentiallyplane bottom that may, if applicable, feature projecting leg areas inorder to also securely stand on uneven surfaces and to achieve theremoval from a completely smooth surface without suction.

In one embodiment, the package container may be cube shaped, wherein thepackage container includes a trough-shaped base body that features theholding means and/or the through-opening for the cable end or theconnector installed thereon on one of its side walls, and wherein saidside wall consists of a face wall that adjoins the bottom of the packagecontainer.

In another embodiment, the trough-shaped base body may form an innerbody of the package container that is displaceably accommodated in anouter body that, in one example, is also cube shaped similar to amatchbox, wherein the outer body is realized open on the side, on whichthe cable end is held on the inner body, so as to be able to take holdof and, if applicable, pull out the cable end by a certain distance. Thelatter can be achieved by or during a displacement of the inner bodyrelative to the outer body.

In order to prevent the projecting cable ends or projecting connectorsfrom interfering to with the stacking of the cable packages, oneembodiment has a wall, on the outer side of which the cable end or theconnector installed thereon is held in the aforementioned cableprocessing position. The wall with the cable positioned on the outerside thereof is set back relative to the other adjoining walls of thepackage container such that the cable end or the connector projectingfrom the wall is practically concealed under the cover formed by theother protruding container walls. The wall with the cable positioned onthe outer side thereof may, in particular, be set back relative to theadjoining container walls in such a way that said walls define a cablereceptacle recess, in which the cable end and/or the connector installedthereon can be positioned.

In one embodiment, the cable receptacle recess is open and/or onlypartially closed toward at least one side and the cable end lying in thecable receptacle recess remains visible and, in one example, alsoaccessible. If a displaceable inner body is provided, the outer body ofthe package container may be longer than the inner body such that thecorresponding projection of the outer body defines the aforementionedreceptacle recess.

In another embodiment, the package container may be a folding box.Alternatively, the package container may be a dimensionally stablemoulded plastic part. For example, the package container may consist ofa deep-drawn part, an injection-moulded part or even a moulded EPS part.The design in the form of a moulded plastic part provides the advantageof making it possible to realize more or less arbitrarily shaped packagecontours. It is also easily possible, in particular, to integrally mouldspecial gripper contact surfaces, for example, in the form ofdepressions or projections such that the cable package can be taken holdof accurately with respect to reference points.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cable package 1 may be in theform of a folding box that comprises a substantially cubical packagecontainer 2 with a trough-shaped base body 15 that can be closed with acover 20. This cover 20 is, in one example, connected to thetrough-shaped base body 15 on one side by means of a fold such that thecover 20 can be folded over in order to close the open upper side of thebase body 15 and locked, for example, with a push-in clip. If thepackage container 2 is in the form of a folding box, the packagecontainer 2 is conventionally produced from a suitable blank that isfolded accordingly and, if applicable, connected by means of bonding,clamps or other folded edge connections.

According to FIG. 1, the package container 2 features two cablethrough-openings 11 that are in the form of slot-shaped clamping grooves13 on opposite walls 4 and 7 that form the face walls of thetrough-shaped base body 15 and adjoin the bottom 8 thereof. In thiscase, the clamping grooves 13 are open toward the open upper side of thebase body 15 and their cross section or clear width is tapered from theopen side toward its base. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, theclamping grooves 13 have a substantially V-shaped contour, wherein theend of the clamping groove 13 is located on the face walls 4 and 7 suchthat the cable 3 is positioned centrally with its projecting cable ends3 a and 3 b. In this embodiment, the trough-shaped base body 15 of thepackage container 2 forms a receptacle space, in which the cable 3 canbe accommodated in a meander-shaped or, if applicable, coiled fashion.According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, only the cable ends 3 a and3 b project from the face walls 4 and 7 of the package container 2through the aforementioned cable through-openings 11. The taperedcontour of the clamping grooves 13 forms holding means 9 for holding thecable ends 3 a and 3 b in a defined position relative to the cubicalbody of the cable package 1.

In order to install a connector 10, for example, in the form of a plugon the cable 3 or on the ends 3 a and 3 b of the cable 3, respectively,one may proceed as described below: initially, the cable 3 is placedinto the interior of the package container 3. The cable ends 3 a and 3 bare then pressed into the clamping grooves 13 of the cablethrough-openings 11 transverse to the longitudinal direction of thecable from the open side until they lie on the bottom of the clampinggrooves. The clamping grooves 13 have such dimensions that the cableends 3 a and 3 b are held in position by means of a press fit. Thepackage container 3 can subsequently be closed by folding over the cover20. As shown in FIG. 10, the package container 2 is then taken hold ofby the gripping instrument or the attached grippers 21 of a manipulatoror manipulating device 22 that forms part of an automated installationstation, wherein the sidewalls 4, 5, 6 and 7, as well as the bottom 8 ofthe package container 2, form gripper contact surfaces 17, relative towhich the cable ends 3 a and 3 b are exactly positioned. If applicable,the package container 2 may also feature reference points in the form ofrecesses or projections. The cable 3 that is arranged in the packagecontainer 2 and held by the holding means 9 at the cable ends 3 a and 3b is exactly positioned relative to the processing head 23 of aninstallation station by means of the cable package. Said processing head23 may carry out the initially described installation, pre-processing,checking or testing steps such as, for example, splicing, crimping,soldering and attaching the connector 10.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the package container 2 mayalso be in the form of a moulded plastic part, wherein FIG. 2 shows amoulded EPS part that also comprises a trough-shaped base body 15, inthe face walls 4 and 7 of which cable through-openings 11 in the form ofgrooves that are open toward one side or shell-shaped openings areprovided similar to the above-described embodiment in order to exactlyposition the cable ends 3 a and 3 b. In this embodiment, the cablethrough-openings 11 are arranged such that the inserted cable end 3 a or3 b is clamped in position by closing the open upper side of the basebody 15, for example, with a not-shown cover or with a gripping toolthat is attached to the upper side of the base body 15.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the package container 2 in the form of aplastic part or even a metallic deep-drawn part. Said deep-drawn partalso comprises a trough-shaped base body 15 that features angled and/orprotruding flange-like webs that are realized peripherally and protrudetransverse to the side walls 4, 5, 6 and 7. One respective cablethrough-opening 11 in the form of a groove that is open toward the topis provided on opposite face walls 4 and 7 in the above-describedfashion, wherein said cable through-openings may have the shape of ashell or, if applicable, be realized in the form of a tapered clampinggroove as illustrated in FIG. 1.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the package container 2 mayalso be in the form of an injection-moulded plastic part having holdingmeans 9 such as, holding forks or holding clips, with elastic clampinglimbs, between which the cable 3 can be inserted and clamped byelastically snapping the cable into the respective holding means or bycompressing the limbs in a plastic fashion. As shown in FIG. 4, theholding means 9 are arranged on rod-shaped carrier sections 24 that arearranged such that they project relative to the base body 15 of thepackage container 2 and are fixed thereon. Between the holding means 9,the package body features a wind-up device in the form of two windingrods 25 that are spaced apart from one another and around which thecable 3 can be wound. In order to simply stack the package containers 2without interference from the projecting cable ends, the wall 4 or 7 ofthe package container 2, through which the respective cable 3 a or 3 bextends and from which said cable end 3 a and 3 b projects, may be setback relative to the adjoining walls of the package container 2 as shownin FIG. 5. In other words, the adjoining walls may protrude over thewall 4 holding the cable 3 such that the projecting walls form a cablereceptacle recess 16, in which the cable end 3 a or 3 b is substantiallyconcealed, together with the outer side of the wall to holding thecable. Irrespective of the projecting cable end 3, the protruding wallsdefine a stacking contour that significantly simplifies the stacking ofthe cable packages 1. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, alladjoining walls are realized in a protruding fashion, i.e., the bottom8, the two sidewalls 5 and 6 and the cover 20. If applicable, it mayalready suffice to realize only one or two of the aforementioned wallsin a protruding fashion, for example, the two opposite side walls 5 and6. In one embodiment, the wall 4 holding the cable 3 may be set back atleast as far as the cable end 3 a projects from said wall 4.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the cable receptacle recess16 not only can accommodate the cable end 3 itself, but also a connector10 installed thereon that may be in the form of a plug as shown. FIG. 6also shows that, if applicable, the connector 10 installed on the cablemay be held on the holding means 9 of the cable package 1 instead of thecable 3 itself. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the connector10 is clamped into the clamping groove 13 of the cable through-opening11.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the cable receptacle recess16 may also accommodate a charging device 26, for example, for anelectric toothbrush that is connected to the cable 3 accommodated in theinterior of the package container 2. The cable receptacle recess 16 maybe entirely or partially closed, for example, with a package band 27,wherein it would also be possible to utilize, if applicable, a lockingclip formed on one of the walls 5 or 6 instead of a package band 27.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, a form-fitting holdingelement, may be in the form of a snap-in device 28, provided in theregion of the cable receptacle recess 16, namely in one of the wallsthat define this cable receptacle recess, in order to fix the connector10 installed on the cable end 3 a on the cable package 1. The embodimentshown in FIG. 9 features a snap-in device 28 with a locking clip that isassigned to a through-opening. A section of the connector 10 is threadedthrough said opening and fixed with the locking clip.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the cable package 1 mayalso comprise an outer body 30 and an inner body 29 that is displaceablyaccommodated therein similar to a matchbox. The outer body and the innerbody may be in the form of extruded profiles, for example, a cubicalshape, such that the inner body 29 is displaceably guided in the outerbody 30. In this embodiment, the cable 3 is accommodated in the innerbody 29 and held on opposite face walls of the inner body 29 with itscable ends 3 a and 3 b in the above-described fashion. The outer body 30is longer than the inner body 29 and open on the sides of the cable ends3 a and 3 b so as to make it possible to take hold of the cable ends. Ifapplicable, the outer body may also be realized open on one side only,namely depending on whether both cable ends 3 a and 3 b need to beinstalled or only one cable end. Due to the projection of the outer body30, receptacle recesses 16 that are surrounded by the outer body 30 areformed on the face ends of the inner body, namely at the locations, atwhich the cable ends 3 a and 3 b emerge. Due to this measure, clearlydefined and, in particular, regular and stackable outside contourswithout interfering projecting cables are achieved.

A comparison between the four illustrations (a) to (d) of FIG. 11 showsthat the cable end 3 a protruding from the inner body 29 is providedwithin the outer body in the delivery state according to FIG. 11 a. Inorder to respectively simplify the installation and the pre-processingof the cable end, the cable end 3 a according to FIG. 11 b is pulled outof the package container 2 by a certain distance, wherein the inner body29, on which the cable end 3 a is held, can be displaced in the outerbody 30 toward the open face thereof for this purpose. In thispulled-out position, the connector 10 that, according to FIG. 11, mayconsist of a charging device or a power supply unit of a small electricappliance is then installed on the cable end in the described fashion.According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 d, the connector 10 is,after its installation, pushed back into the inner body 29 together withthe cable 3 accommodated therein by displacing the inner body 29 backinto the outer body of the package container 2 such that the connector10 is quasi concealed in the receptacle recess 16 formed in theprojection of the outer body 30.

According to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 11 b and 11 c, the othercable end 3 b may lead out of the inner body 29 on the opposite side ofthe inner body 29 with a power plug that may be correspondinglyinstalled previously or subsequently. In this case, the surface of theouter body may feature an access opening 31 that is, in one example,arranged such that the power plug can be contacted through the outerbody 30 in the installation position of the inner body 29 in order tocheck the installed cable unit.

The described and illustrated cable package may, in principle, be usedwith all types of cables, wherein special advantages manifest themselveswith cables that need to be connected to a plug and/or a device or adifferent connector. These cables may consist, for example, of cablesfor non-heating appliances with a plug on both sides such as, forexample, for charging devices, in which the cable is permanentlyconnected to the charging device on one end and to a plug on the otherend. It would also be conceivable to utilize the cable package for allelectric appliances that feature a permanently connected cable with aplug such as, for example, computer mice, keyboards, hand-held blendersor coffee machines, as well as for connecting cables of all types thatfeature a plug on one or both ends.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood asbeing strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead,unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean boththe recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding thatvalue. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean“about 40 mm”.

Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or relatedpatent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation ofany document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect toany invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in anycombination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests ordiscloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning ordefinition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning ordefinition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, themeaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shallgovern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

1. A cable package comprising: a package container for accommodating a cable wherein the package container is sectionally realized in a dimensionally stable fashion; and holding means for holding a cable end and/or a connector connected to the cable end in a cable processing position, wherein the holding means are provided on a wall of the package container.
 2. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the wall includes a cable through-opening.
 3. The cable package according to claim 2, wherein the cable through-opening forms a clamping groove that is open toward one side of the wall.
 4. The cable package according to claim 2, wherein the holding means are formed by the cable through-opening and/or integrated into the cable through-opening.
 5. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the holding means include clamping means for clamping the cable in a predetermined cable processing position.
 6. The cable package according to claim 2, wherein the cable through-opening forms a clamping groove that is tapered toward one side.
 7. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the holding means are formed in such a way that the cable end protrudes from the wall of the package container.
 8. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the package container includes at least one stacking surface.
 9. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the package container comprises a trough-shaped base body that includes the holding means on one of its side walls.
 10. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the package container is a folding box.
 11. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the package container is in the form of a dimensionally stable moulded plastic part selected from the group consisting of a deep-drawn part, an injection-moulded part and a moulded EPS part.
 12. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the package container includes cube-shaped inner and outer bodies and is open on at least one side, wherein the inner body is accommodated in the outer body.
 13. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the cable is flexible.
 14. The cable package according to claim 1, wherein the package container includes gripper contact surfaces in predetermined positions relative to the holding means in order to take hold of the cable package in a mechanized fashion. 